Before the alarm went off at 6am, I had made several other mad dashes to the toilet.

That morning I dressed and brushed my teeth several times with mint-flavored toothpaste in an attempt to remove the still-present taste of soap from my mouth.

When I walked into the kitchen for breakfast, my mother walked up and gave me a big hug and kiss and told me how sorry she was for having to punish me.

With tears in my eyes, I apologized for using foul language and promised to clean up my act in the future.

To this day, I cannot remember the last time I swore or heard a foul word from my brother or sister.

Mother would be proud to see the way we turned out.